Local has a blast with the Ice Bucket Challenge!

With the help of the Lynn Valley firefighters, one local teen was able to – literally – have a blast with his Ice Bucket Challenge, as seen on this video he posted to our Facebook page on August 22. This freeze-frame might make you feel frozen indeed!

Sam Ice Bucket Challenge

The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has gone viral and then some this summer, raising over $22 million in funding for the ALS Association. ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Participants in the challenge, which entails dumping a bucket of ice water on one’s head and challenging others to do the same and/or donate $100 to the association, have ranged from average people of all ages to wellknown celebrities and politicians.

In this made-in-Lynn Valley version, Sam enlisted the help of the obliging Lynn Valley fire crew, who met him at the park and blasted him nearly off his feet in the name of a good cause. Sam – who challenged a couple of his high school friends, along with DNV Mayor Richard Walton to do their own Ice Bucket event – survived the hosing off, and had many thanks for the firefighters who took part. Hats off, too, to young passerby Cole Diemart, for suiting up in fire chief gear and leading the blast-off!

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Cairn dedication marks Canada’s entry to WWI

The Lynn Valley Legion invites residents to mark the historic occasion of the centenary of Canada entering World War One by witnessing the dedication ceremony of a memorial cairn on Monday, August 4:

YOU ARE INVITED: MONDAY, AUGUST 4 at 11:00 A.M.
THE CAIRN AT WHEY-AH-WICHEN/CATES PARK

 

PLEASE JOIN US AT THE DEDICATION CEREMONY OF WHAT WILL BE A HISTORIC DAY IN WHEY-AH-WICHEN /CATES PARK IN NORTH VANCOUVER.

Exactly 100 years prior Canada became involved in the First World War. Branch #114 is spearheading this memorial cairn dedication ceremony.

This will likely be your only chance in life to witness a cairn dedication and it’s also a great opportunity to pay tribute to those who laid down their lives for the freedoms we enjoy today.

‘At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them.’

Witness a part of history as a unique carved jade stone memorial is unveiled; a monument constructed to honour those who’ve given their lives for our freedom.

 

Experience the Colour Parade, as flags of our nation are marched in tribute. You will hear guest speakers immortalize those who have served by dedicating this sculpture to their memory.

 

The service will be accompanied music; songs of tribute by a soloist and a North Shore choir.

 

A light reception will be held outdoors after the ceremony.

 

Our thanks to the Federal Government, Tsleil-Waututh Nation and District of North Vancouver for their support in making the monument and Dedication Ceremony possible

 

Sincerely,

 

Bill Calder, President

 

Dog only hero in Lynn Valley forest saga

This “lost-in-the-woods” story has become my mother’s favourite, and she pushes me to tell it to people at parties ALL THE TIME. If I demur (having told it a zillion times already), she just launches in and tells it herself. But she gets all the details wrong, which bugs me, so of course I end up telling it all over again. So, in honour of my mother, Chris, (who is glad I made it home), and as a cautionary tale to others who might be going for  a wander, here is my story…

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It was high summer (not autumn, Mom), and my neighbour’s brother, David, had just knocked on the door to return a borrowed cooking pot. He was just on his way up the street to take a walk in the woods off the top of Hoskins, as he wanted to see if he could locate an unauthorized biking trail he’d heard about (this being a number of years ago, when mountain biking was at the ‘wild west’ stage in its development).

Suddenly joining him seemed like a brilliant idea. Not because I was interested in illicit trails, but because my dogs were long, LONG overdue for an outing and the thought of company made putting down my book a bit more palatable (Please note that I am not famously athletic in my leanings.)

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Exhibit A: Footwear

Not wanting to keep David waiting, I quickly leashed the dogs, shouted up to my boys that I was heading into to the woods with David, and was out the door in 15 seconds. Of course I didn’t change my footwear, because my comfortable slip-ons were perfectly fine for the half-hour walk I envisioned ahead of us.

We accessed the Baden Powell trail from the the top of Hoskins Road, David, the dogs and I chugging steadily up through the familiar woods. Shortly before reaching the old Mountain Highway, though, David plunged off the well-worn track and headed north in search of the reported biking trail. (Please note that throughout this tale I use “north” to mean “up” the mountain,  which does not necessarily mean I am actually travelling north. Or it might; I wouldn’t know. “South” means “down.” My admittedly underdeveloped sense of geographic awareness may explain some of what follows.)

I followed David 40 or 50 feet into the woods, where he was examining a trail that snaked up further “north.” Excellent, I thought. We found it. Time to go home.

David, however, was determined to trace its upward path, and investigate what planks, jumps or teeter totters might have been erected along the way to tempt bikers into risking their necks. I was not at all enthusiastic (see previous note regarding lack of athletic leanings), but thought that as I had invited myself along on HIS adventure, it was only fair that I play along.

This selfless philosophy did not last long. After only a few minutes of hauling myself over logs, untangling leashes from branches, and retrieving my slip-OFF shoes from under ferns, I was beyond noble sentiment. Some whining about going home may have taken place (my memory is not clear on this point). David’s enthusiasm, however, remained undimmed.

I could have turned back. I could have been sensible; remembered my footwear, my domestic responsibilities, and the fact that I had little patience for these kind of tramps through the forest. But the meek little acquiescent part of me that “goes along” so as not to be a nuisance held sway. (Note to my husband, should he be reading this: Yes, I DO have a part like that, it is often just deeply hidden.)

Caution: Actual mountain not as it appears in diagram

Caution: Actual mountain not as it appears in diagram

I grumbled a little, but carried on, travelling “north.” When I turned around again a few minutes later, all familiar landmarks had long disappeared.  Mountains, which in my head are all structured like a child’s line drawing with two straight, 45-degree angles meeting at a right-angled summit, are not nearly that simple when you’re standing on the side of them as opposed to looking at them in the distance from your living room window.

That hillside that looks smooth from afar contains trenches, knolls, and other unexpected landforms that make “north” and “south” far less obvious than one would imagine. At least that was the case on this particular hillside, and I was soon not sure that I could have found my way back to the trail even had I decided to rebel against my companion (or I realized later, if he had turned an ankle and I needed to fetch help).

We carried on – him curious, me cranky – until I finally did get more assertive in my complaining. Constantly struggling over logs and dogs had not made me a sanguine traveller, and whatever amazing/alarming mountain bike constructions he had hoped to find were long passed. To his credit, longtime pal David recognized that She Who Must Be Obeyed was making an appearance – but, he assured me, it would likely be faster and easier to get back to the proper trail by continuing our climb rather than by retracing our steps. So we carried on, struggling through undergrowth and downed branches.

Natural features can all look mesmerizingly alike when you're lost.

Natural features can all look mesmerizingly alike when you’re lost.

I’m not sure what adjectives I would employ to describe the next FOUR HOURS in the forest, but “faster” and “easier” are certainly not among them. “Exhausting,” “anxious,” and “panicky” do pop to mind fairly readily, however. I was worried about the boys left at home on their own, wondering where the heck I was, but with all the aforementioned furrows and gullies on the mountain, it was difficult to find a cell signal. A single signal-strength bar finally materialized on my phone screen, and I was finally able to let them know that I was OK and with David – but that was about all I could tell them. David later got a call out to his brother-in-law who knows the woods reasonably well, and who (if I recall) kept encouraging the go “north” approach. (Not particularly welcome advice, when every muscle in your body is screaming “turn south!”)

 

 

 

North Shore Rescue: I prefer my close-ups in parades...

North Shore Rescue: I prefer my close-ups in parades…

I had visions of North Shore Rescue being dispatched to find us, and knew that my acquaintance on the team would never, ever let me live it down if he found me deep in the woods so spectacularly ill-shod and ill-prepared. I further imagined having to curl up with the dogs for warmth if we were lost overnight, and wondered who would get to sleep with Genny, the massively furred Bernese mountain dog, and who would be stuck with Toby, the eight-pound shih tzu.

I scrambled along as best I could, nearly weeping with vexation when a clearing we had thought from a distance was Mountain Highway turned out to be a dry creekbed. Total gloom soon turned to exhilaration, however, when the gravel road did blessedly appear not long afterward. We staggered out of the forest (I may have kissed the roadbed, I’m not sure) and discovered that we were up above the seventh switchback, several kilometres above the paved end of Mountain Highway. We had left home shortly after noon; it was now about 5:30.

We telephoned our loved ones and told them to stop selling our stuff as we were coming home after all. Tired but buoyed by survivors’ giddiness, we set off down (down – what a wonderful word!) the crooked gravel road towards home.

The self-congratulations and shoulder punches only lasted a few more minutes, though, before one of us looked around and asked “Where’s Toby?” Where, indeed. After sticking with us through thick and thin, his poor four-inch legs struggling over one obstacle after another, Toby had emerged onto the road and then seemingly vanished when our back was turned. We retraced steps, calling, but to no avail. Genny the Bernese, who had always been a tad jealous of Toby the Younger Interloper, may have known something, but she wasn’t letting on.

Whatever else I remember about David from that day, what I remember best is this: that, ever the gentleman, he insisted I go home, while he stayed on the mountain and looked for the dog. Too tired to argue, and thinking about my waiting children, I gratefully agreed, and made my way down Mountain Highway, arriving home in another 45 minutes or so.

Happiness at the homecoming was, of course, tempered by worry about Toby, who didn’t return with David, either. His plucky little coyote-snack-sized self was out there navigating uncharted territories. We quickly put up posters at trailheads, and my sister and others headed out for a look. Later that evening, she learned he’d been spotted on one of the trails, but hadn’t allowed anyone to approach. We went to bed, sadly aware of him alone out in the dark beyond our windows.

Toby the Plucky

Toby the Plucky

It was midnight when a daughter of the house arrived home, and she popped her head into our bedroom. “Why’s Toby sitting on the front lawn?” she asked us, unaware of all the earlier drama. Toby – what a champ! He had indeed found his way home, despite having been kilometres out of his usual territory. After drinking about half a litre of water and accepting our fond congratulations, he settled into his usual spot in preparation for a good night’s sleep.

We followed his example. I awoke the next morning with aching legs, a newfound resolve NOT to do things just because your friends are doing them, and plenty of gratitude that events turned out as well as they did.

As we all know, stories in these woods don’t always have happy endings. So, take it from me – you really can get lost after just a few minutes of off-trail bush-whacking, even in an otherwise familiar environment.* All that safety stuff that North Shore Rescue talks about? It isn’t just for extreme hikers or “other folks.” It’s for everyone who wants to get home in one piece.

Enjoy your summer treks, readers!

– Peggy Trendell-Jensen, LynnValleyLife editor

 * P.S. If you run into David, and he says “Oh, we weren’t REALLY lost – I was pretty sure I knew where we were going,” DO NOT BELIEVE HIM.

Genny, who survived this walk and many more besides. RIP, GennyDog..

Genny, who survived this walk and many more besides. RIP, GennyDog..

 

Lynn Valley Lions Community Garden volunteers sought

A new community garden is being built in Lynn Valley, and this is your chance to get in on the “ground” floor – literally.

IMG_3465 Volunteers who help build the garden on the grounds by the Lynn Valley Rec Centre on Frederick Road near Mountain Highway on the weekend of July 18-20 will be first in line to secure a plot. People who can’t help out but would like to get their name on a waiting list for a plot are also invited to be in touch.

All the details regarding the project are here, and people interested are asked to email [email protected] by Friday, July 4.

The community garden at St. Clement’s Anglican Church on the other side of Lynn Valley Park has become a welcome sight for passers-by. Consider stepping up to create another interesting horticultural oasis!

 

Bike race, old-fashioned carnival in LV this weekend!

IMG_3463Well, it may not be a long weekend TECHNICALLY (although we suspect a few people might be taking Monday off), but there is sure a lot going down in Lynn Valley on June 28/29! A big splash will be made by the BC Bike Race, which will see 600 bike riders launch their seven-day stage race from Argyle Secondary. Their Lynn Valley route is the first part of a journey that will take them to Vancouver Island, up to Comox and over to Powell River, and eventually to Whistler by Day 7. Here’s a look at their Sunday, June 29th Day 1 North Vancouver route – and if you’d like to see some of the action in person, come out the End of the Line General Store, the designated “cheer zone” at the top of Lynn Valley Road. Kids are invited to take part in a bike race of their own, down at Argyle School field on Saturday the 28th. Registration begins at 10 a.m.; further details are on our Events Calendar.  (A Farmer’s Market will also be on site from 10 to 2!)

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For those of us who aren’t the two-wheeler type, head on down to Lynn Valley Village on Saturday for Lynn Valley Legion’s annual community appreciation event – an Old-Fashioned Carnival. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., you can take part in carnival games and goodies, enjoy Smartee Pants the Clown, meet a veteran, learn more about the work of the Legion and other community groups in our neighbourhood, and participate in crafts and storytimes thanks to the library and Karen Magnussen rec centre. Hope to see you out and enjoying the fun!

School strike news & childcare options

Looking for news about the teachers’ strike situation, and how it will impact your family?

For a strike update, including the exam information and new end-of-term procedures for students, read the North Vancouver School Superintendent’s letter, here.

North Van Rec has a number of day camps on offer to get kids up and dancing or out and enjoying the great outdoors. Check them out here.

Adventure camps up Grouse Mountain are on offer, with more being added as strike news develops. Read the Grouse site for more info.

There are bike adventure camps from Escape Adventures, and Pedalheads is planning strike-day programming as well, although at time of writing the information was not yet on their website.

We will add more resources as we learn of them, so please send us any resources you’d like us to share with your neighbours! Email [email protected].

 

 

Lynn Valley Mall redevelopment gets seven thumbs up

After years of extensive public consultation and study, in the end it took North Vancouver District’s seven councillors less than an hour to unanimously approve four bylaws that will allow Bosa Development’s Lynn Valley Mall development to proceed.

YesA special council meeting was held on the evening of Tuesday, June 10 with only one order of business: to vote for or against the redevelopment project, which includes a complete overhaul of the mall, mixed residential-retail usage, two 12-storey buildings, a new High Street connecting Lynn Valley Road and 27th Street, and a variety of public amenities.

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Lynn Valley Days 2014 – one of the best ever!

Wow! What a great Lynn Valley Day weekend! The LynnValleyLife crew was busy running the games pitch and the new SuperKids Obstacle Course, but were able to capture some of the park and parade festivities on camera. Here is a re-cap on the day from organizer Gillian Konst, director of the Lynn Valley Community Association:

Thank you to everyone for the biggest and best Lynn Valley Days so far.

With the weather firmly on our side, this was truly the best attended and most succesful Lynn Valley Days ever. We don’t have hard numbers yet, but it’s estimated that up to 15,000 people visited the park on Saturday!

LV Lion racerHundreds of volunteers, along with the exhibitors and parade participants, made it a day to remember for the thousands who came out to enjoy the rides, games, Cookshack, activities and entertainment.

The warm weather also meant that our inaugural evening concert and BBQ dinner on Saturday evening were a big hit.  What a great way to end the weekend!

Lynn Valley Days is organized by the community for the community.   It is all about building and strengthening the community in which we live.   Thanks to our generous sponsors and donors we have two beneficiaries from our weekend:   The Tim Jones Legacy Fund and The North Shore Disability Resource Centre.

We were surprised but thrilled to discover that the night of our gala would also have been Tim Jones’ birthday; we were able to raise a glass and toast this remarkable man and the legacy he has left us.

Thank you from The Lynn Valley Community Association, Lynn Valley Legion and Lynn Valley Lions to everyone who pitched in, donated, participated and came to support the 102nd Lynn Valley Days. Together we make a difference in the community and you are all part of continuing the tradition.

There was a full house (well, tent) out to enjoy The Boom Booms Saturday evening.

There was a full house (well, tent) out to enjoy The Boom Booms Saturday evening.

The Boom Booms kept toes tapping from 5 to 8 p.m.

The Boom Booms kept toes tapping from 5 to 8 p.m.

The Boom Booms

The Boom Booms

The LVLife SuperKids Obstacle Course Leaderboard showed top times by age group at day's end!

The LVLife SuperKids Obstacle Course Leaderboard showed top times by age group at day’s end!

LVLife sponsoring realtor Kelly Gardiner took a (sadly unsuccessful) run at top time for the SuperKids Obstacle Course Masters category. He was doing well until it was time to "skip his age"!

LVLife sponsoring realtor Kelly Gardiner took a (sadly unsuccessful) run at top time for the SuperKids Obstacle Course Masters category. He was doing well until it was time to “skip his age”!

This Black Bear Band niece is getting an early intro to the art of the trombone from Uncle Jeff Seddon, a member of the band's 'Impalers' t-bone section.

This Black Bear Band niece is getting an early intro to the art of the trombone from Uncle Jeff Seddon, a member of the band’s ‘Impalers’ t-bone section.

Harry skips his age to finish up the obstacle course, and is named winner of the Masters category!

Harry skips his age to finish up the obstacle course, and is named winner of the Masters category!

Harry knocks the blocks off and prepares his return through the slalom run.

Harry knocks the blocks off and prepares his return through the slalom run.

A ballerina gets instructions and encouragement from a LVLifer as she starts out on the SuperKids Obstacle Course.

A ballerina gets instructions and encouragement from a LVLifer as she starts out on the SuperKids Obstacle Course.

We had a great time running the games pitch. The old-fashioned relay races are always popular, as was this year's new SuperKids Obstacle course.

We had a great time running the games pitch. The old-fashioned relay races are always popular, as was this year’s new SuperKids Obstacle course.

Bodies were flying everywhere at this cool challenge, in which players had to take to the air in order to avoid being knocked off their pedestals by the randomly twirling bonker thing (there is probably a more technical term for it, but whatever it's called, it's fast!)

Bodies were flying everywhere at this cool challenge, in which players had to take to the air in order to avoid being knocked off their pedestals by the randomly twirling bonker thing (there is probably a more technical term for it, but whatever it’s called, it’s fast!)

Great salmon car from the North Van Outdoor School alumni.

Great salmon car from the North Van Outdoor School alumni.

A small ensemble from the LV Black Bear Band entertained passersby. This could be you next year! Join up at www.blackbearband.ca.

A small ensemble from the LV Black Bear Band entertained passersby. This could be you next year! Join up at www.blackbearband.ca.

LVLIfe sponsoring realtor Jim Lanctot, looking dashing in a sombrero, coaches a Masters category runner through the obstacle course.

LVLIfe sponsoring realtor Jim Lanctot, looking dashing in a sombrero, coaches a Masters category runner through the obstacle course.

This was one of our best tower-builders of the day! It cost him some valuable seconds, but we confidently predict this detail-oriented young chap will go far.

This was one of our best tower-builders of the day! It cost him some valuable seconds, but we confidently predict this detail-oriented young chap will go far.

Gunnysackers gave it their all.

Gunnysackers gave it their all.

Neighbourhood seniors are well represented by the LV Seniors' Association.

Neighbourhood seniors are well represented by the LV Seniors’ Association.

The sword play looks pretty authentic!

The sword play looks pretty authentic!

A Tin Man from LV United looked the part.

A Tin Man from LV United looked the part.

LV United had a great float in the parade, with Wizard of Oz characters following behind.

LV United had a great float in the parade, with Wizard of Oz characters following behind.

They may be relaxing now, but things got pretty hectic at the LVLife Games pitch once the parade was over!

They may be relaxing now, but things got pretty hectic at the LVLife Games pitch once the parade was over!

Marching bands had the perfect weather to strut their stuff.

Marching bands had the perfect weather to strut their stuff.

Lynn Valley Elementary Band's rendition of Louie, Louie was enjoyed by all.

Lynn Valley Elementary Band’s rendition of Louie, Louie was enjoyed by all.

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Tucker the Turtle presses some flesh.

Tucker the Turtle presses some flesh.

It was all peace and love with the Zazou '70s singers.

It was all peace and love with the Zazou ’70s singers.

Fairy tale princesses and other book characters marched along with the NVD Library parade entry.

Fairy tale princesses and other book characters marched along with the NVD Library parade entry.

Mmmmm…. Purdy's Hedgehog.

Mmmmm…. Purdy’s Hedgehog.

The Lynn Valley Lion reminds everyone to get their Christmas trees from the Lions, and see your money do some good in the community!

The Lynn Valley Lion reminds everyone to get their Christmas trees from the Lions, and see your money do some good in the community!

Our first two contestants in the SuperKids Obstacle course.

Our first two contestants in the SuperKids Obstacle course.

LVLife threw its annual pre-Gala shindig at the home of Jim and Cindy Lanctot.

LVLife threw its annual pre-Gala shindig at the home of Jim and Cindy Lanctot.

This LV Lion has some tough comptetition in the gunny sack race. He was wishing he was mascot for the Lynn Valley Kangaroos.

This LV Lion has some tough comptetition in the gunny sack race. He was wishing he was mascot for the Lynn Valley Kangaroos.

Warm-weather watering wisdom from the pros

The sun is out, and your garden needs you! Here are some warm-weather tips from Matt and Rob Boyd of Endless Summer landscapers, with some especially good advice about watering plants properly!

These are just a few gardening tips for you to consider here in late May/June. Many people seem to think that just because all the plants have been put into their places for the summer and your perennials are blooming, or past bloom, there is no more work to be done. The garden is full of multi-colored flowers, so there must be little or nothing to do. Right? No, there is always work that may be done.

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Parents rally to save Swangard track meet

With only a few days’ notice, people banded together to resurrect the North Vancouver track and field meet at Swangard Stadium, which had been officially cancelled as due to the teachers’ strike on the day of the meet. One of the volunteers, Desiree Kranendijk, tells us how it went:

IMG_3378Hundreds of students from almost all the schools across North Vancouver had the opportunity to compete in the annual Swangard Track Meet yesterday despite the ongoing teachers’ strike. A collection of over 100 parent volunteers mobilized after hearing the track event would be cancelled due to the rotating strike, in order to ensure that the students had the chance to showcase their athleticism and put to use all the training provided by the teachers and supporters in the months leading up to the event.

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